


Ain't No Sunshine

by stephaneeneenee



Series: Nick and Liz's Infinite Playlist [3]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Mentions of Blood, Mild Language, because i really love saying bad words, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:51:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5394887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephaneeneenee/pseuds/stephaneeneenee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Liz goes missing, Nick looses control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Clearly, music inspires me. This is another fic that had been in my head for a few days and it decided it need to be wrote tonight.

Nick kicked a can as he walked around the Fens. He couldn't believe her. He turns his back for five goddamn minutes and she was gone. 3 days, 5 hours, 8 minutes, 55 seconds. That's how long it's been, the synth parts of him wouldn’t let him forget. He hasn't heard even a whisper of her whereabouts, and hasn't seen even the tiniest crumb of a trail of her.

The soft chugging of the turrets outside Diamond City made him turn left into the gate. He heard the guards say his name, he just nodded, hands in pockets, and never looking up from his shoes. His footfalls on the metal grates resounded around him as he entered the city.

“OI, NICK!” He heard from down the way. Times like these, he really wished that he had a back way to the Agency. He didn't need to look up to know Piper would be right there, outside of her office, waiting to interrogate him.

“What, Piper?” He mumbled, irate, as he tried to push his way past her. She darted side to side to keep him from progressing. He let out a disgruntled sigh and looked into the sky, his metal fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He looked back down and straight into her face, his scowl more menacing than she had ever seen.

“Whoa, whoa. It isn't that big of a deal, Nick.”

“What do you want, Piper?” He growled under his breath.

“You seen Liz?” She peeped up, quickly, trying to avoid more of his distaste. She looked around aimlessly, half expecting the woman in question to come dashing down the ramp into the city.

“...No.” He glared at her as he breathed the word out, trying not to scream at her. It wasn’t Piper’s fault that Liz disappeared without a trace.

“Oh…, well that’s odd.” She looked back to Nick’s face. His eyes had lost some of their luminescence, and his lips were turned into a grimace.  “Nicky, you alright?”

“It doesn’t matter, Piper.” He pushed her aside and shoved his hands back into his pant’s pockets.

“Oh-ho! It certainly does, mister!” She caught up with him and gripped his shoulder, gently turning him to look at her again. “It’s her isn’t it? You’ve got it bad.”

He just nodded and looked away. He couldn’t face Piper knowing the depth of what he felt for Liz, what he should not feel for Liz.

“How long has she been gone, Nick?” The genuine concern in Piper’s voice caught him off guard.

“Three and a half days.” He stated plainly.

“She didn’t even leave a note?”

“Nothing.” His voice was almost inaudible over the bustling of the city around them.

“Shit. Man, that sucks.”

“Yeah.” He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and put it to his mouth. He used his other hand to flip the lighter and took a long pull on it as he lit it. He held in the breath a long while, then released it, smoke filling the space between them. Piper waved her hand in front of her face to clear it.

“Well, what’re you going to do?” She asked.

“Sit in my office.” He shrugged and turned to leave again. He flipped this metal hand in the air. “She knows where to find me, once it suits her.” He walked off and Piper stood there, stunned.

She had known Nick a long while, and she had never seen him so out of sorts, much less over a woman. To her though, Liz’s absence wasn’t much like Liz, either. She shook her head and walked back into her office.

Nick slammed the door behind him. He walked to his desk and shoved everything to the floor, pulling his chair out and slumping into it. He propped his elbows up on the desk and sunk his head into his hands. He sucked in a deep breath. He was at a loss. She was gone. Gone without a trace. It was so unlike her. She would always place a hand on his chest and kiss his cheek before she went anywhere without him. She would skip out the door, humming softly along to the radio in her Pip-Boy.

She never just got up and left.

He was used to this. Being thrown out and all. He just never expected it from her. Maybe he shouldn’t have fought against his feelings, opened up to her. Just maybe then she would not have ran off. He ran through countless scenarios in his head. From meeting someone new, to the institute. Nothing seemed right.

He missed her. He was tired of trying to act like he didn’t. Everyone saw it. The way he looked over his shoulder every time he rounded a corner expecting her to be there, how he never left the office hoping she would come home to him and curl into his lap so he could cover her face in soft kisses.

He really missed her.

The weight of his feelings was heavy on his shoulders. He laid his head on the desk, and pulled out a smoke and lit it. He stayed like that, cigarette after cigarette, eyes blank, staring at the wall. He lost track of the time he spent like that, but he never lost track of how long she was gone.

Ellie jumped from her bed when she heard the door slam. She crept down the stairs when she heard things hitting the floor. She had never seen him like this. Lost, would be how she would describe it. She knew probably better than most his feelings towards the vault dweller. She saw how he smiled after her, how he wouldn’t look away from her when she spoke, how he ever so slightly leaned closer to her when he was telling her a story, heard him whisper sweet nothings to her sleeping form when they ended up sleeping in his bed.

Then she was suddenly gone. No notes, no chaste kisses laid on cheeks, no “Be safe.” It unnerved Ellie a little. Liz wasn’t one to do that, after all she’d been through. Ellie also saw how much Liz admired Nick. She was open with her affection. She made it a point to show Nick just how much of a man he was to her. As much as she wanted to be upset at Liz, she knew something was wrong.

She quietly went back upstairs and left the building on the second floor. She needed to talk to Piper.

Four days, seven hours, ten minutes, thirty-seven seconds.

He hadn’t moved in hours. His joints were stiff, he was out of cigarettes, and there was a distinct pounding in his skull. His coat had slid off his shoulders and his hat at one point got thrown across the room. At this point he was just sad. He wanted her home, wanted her safe, wanted to hold her. But she was still gone.

He hoped that she hadn’t been reckless and went off to the Glowing Sea without him. He had a sinking feeling that that was exactly what she had done. He expected that she had taken Hancock with her. Asshole ghoul. As much as he was friends with him, Nick knew the man loved trouble. He was also the only other person she would have ever asked to tackle that task with her.

He just could not understand why she would, though. Did she think he needed saved? Needed protected? He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. She was soft, fragile, not made for this world. He needed to protect her.

His head perked up at a frantic knocking at the door and Ellie barrelling in.

“Nick!” She was breathless, her chest heaving. “She’s back.” She sank into the chair in front of his desk.

“Ellie, where?!” He had jumped up, and was already at the door. Ellie looked over her shoulder at him.

“Coming into the city. It’s not pretty, Nick.”

“Fuck.” He ripped the door open, not bothering to close it and ran. He ran like he never had.

“MOVE, GODDAMN YOU!” He screamed at the people who blocked his way as he shoved past them. They moved, giving him questioning looks. No one had ever seen Nick like this.

He reached Piper’s office, but she wasn’t around, thank God. He didn’t have time for her. He ran more, his shirt coming untucked. He reached the gate and saw her.

Piper was standing over her and Hancock. Her head was in his lap. Nick growled to himself about that. He came over, much slower than he had gone through the city. Hancock looked up at him and smiled.

“Hancock, you have a lot of explaining to do.” He spat. He finally could see her more, he gently pushed Piper out of the way.

The amount of blood had him worried. The obvious twist in her right leg had him reeling. Her tiny shivers and whimpers had him on his knees. He gently gathered her into his arms. If he could, he would have cried in that moment.

“Liz, thank God you’re alive.” He breathed into her hair that was sticky and smelt of iron. He stood with her draped in his arms.

He walked back into Diamond City, carrying her like she weighed nothing. No one dare to get in his way. At the Agency, Ellie already had the door open, and stimpaks ready to go. He laid her limp form on his bed and pulled a blanket over her.

“Ell, I need blood packs, and washcloths.” He told her. She nodded and left. He grabbed the first stimpak and injected it into Liz’s neck. The second went right under her ribs, and the third into her right thigh. He gingerly set her leg in the correct position. Ellie came back and placed the bags in his hand. He immediately went to work. He hooked the blood packs into her arm. He took a can of purified water and wet the cloth in his hands. He draped a piece across her forehead, and with the other, wiped the blood, dirt and grime from her face. He placed soft kisses on both cheeks when he was finished. He moved down her body, removing torn clothes, clearing away blood, and anything else he didn’t like.

Ellie was honestly in awe of how gentle and careful he was. She couldn’t believe he was holding it together this well. Every chance he got he would stroke Liz’s cheeks, check her pulse in her neck and wrists, would brush her matted hair out of her face.

It took him an hour to settle down. He finally sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe this. He had barely saved her. He hadn’t spoke with Hancock yet, but he knew he wouldn’t like what the other man had to say.

He felt a small trembling hand on his back. He looked over and blue-hazel eyes caught his yellow ones. He exhaled and turned more towards her. He took her hand in his, stroking the back of it with his thumb.

“Nick…” Her voice was hoarse and her breathing labored.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re home now.” He leaned over and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. She shook her head a little and let out a small laugh.

“You’re far too good to me.” She whispered and squeezed his hand.

“It’s funny what love’ll do to ya, darlin’.” He whispered back, looking at their hands, perfectly entwined.

“You’re admitting it now?” She chuckled at him.

“Yes.”

“I love you, Nicky.”

“I love you, too, Lizzy.”

“Kiss me.”

He leaned down, his exposed hand resting on her cheek and pressed his lips to hers. He savored the way she tasted, the way she moved under him. He pulled away and ran the metal thumb across the apple of her cheek.

“Go back to sleep, babe.” He suggested gently.

“But everything hurts.” She whined.

“I know, honey. I know.” He reached over and grabbed a giant syringe. “Close your eyes.” She did as he told her. He jammed the needle into her upper arm and pressed the Med-X in. Almost instantly, she sighed in relief. She opened her eyes again and sleepily looked at him.

“I don’t thank you enough” She sounded far away, the pain killer kicking in and making her drowsy.

“You do plenty for me, Liz. Now go back to sleep, ya need to rest.” She nodded and her eyes slid closed and her breathing evened out. He kissed her forehead and stood. “I’ll be back.”

He needed to find Hancock. The damn ghoul was never going to hear the end of it from him. They sure did have a lot to talk about.  

 


	2. Unchained Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick talks with Hancock, and makes a realization that'll change everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a potty mouth this chapter.  
> Title is from the song by the Righteous Brothers.

Nick found Hancock where he figured he would, high as a kite sprawled out in the chair at his desk. Nick slammed his palms down on the top.

“Hancock, we need to talk. Now.” He said sternly.

“Huh? Nick? What’re you doing here?” Hancock sat up a little, sputtering at his visitor.

“I just said we need to talk, jackass.”

“And what would we be talking about?” Hancock leaned forward and pulled a cigarette out of his coat. “Want one?” He extended it to Nick.

“No.”

“Damn, more for me then.” He stuck it in between his lips and lit it. “Now, what did I do to gain Nick Valentine in my office?”

“You know damn well why I’m here, John.”

“What? ‘Cus your girlfriend asked me to help her with something for you? I figured she told you before we left.” The ghoul shrugged his shoulders and took a long drag.

“No, she left saying not a goddamn word to anyone. She left me up at Sanctuary, leaving when I wasn’t looking and thought she was asleep… And she’s not my girlfriend.” His voice was thick with emotion.

“Coulda fooled me, with the way you two make eyes at each other.  I didn’t know she didn’t say anything.  You know me better than that, Nick. Had I known, I would have told you what she was planning.”

“And what exactly was she planning?” Nick questioned with an irritated huff. He didn’t want to be angry with Liz. They were on shaky ground as it was, much less needing his unnecessary anger.

“Now that, it isn’t my place to say.” Hancock gruffed.

Before Nick knew what he was doing, the ghoul’s neck was in his hand, pushing him against the wall.

“What. Was. She. Doing. John? Fucking tell me.” Nick grated out through barred teeth. The ghoul coughed and Nick loosened the grip on his neck. “I’m done playing these games. Tell me.”

“Yanno your holotapes? The ones you have been looking for with her?”

“Yes. What about them?”

“We went and got the last two.” Nick released the other man. He paced the floor, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Why? Why did she take you?” The synth growled, looking at the floor. “She almost fucking died, John!” He screamed as he looked into Hancock’s beady black eyes.

“She said she wanted to surprise you.” He hadn’t moved from where Nick had released him. He had never seen the synth act this way.

“You said she didn’t say anything about it.” Nick ground out.

“After the first one we found was when she told me, Nick. I wouldn’t lie to you!” Hancock’s hands went into the air in an effort to show his innocence about the situation.

“What else did you two do in your little expedition?” Nick scowled at him.

“Nothing. I didn’t even flirt with her. Everyone knows she’s your girl, Nick.” Hancock had picked up on the implication that him and the sole survivor had ran off to bump uglies. He always had been partial to Mentats, helping him to pick up on nuances of the people he conversated with. Unfortunately for Nick, that was exactly what the ghoul was high off of, along with a couple huffs of Jet.

Nick looked away and shook his head. She had wanted to surprise him with the vengeance he had been seeking. He knew then that she was in deep. He had doubted her when he shouldn’t have. On top of that, he had almost choked his other closest friend over her. Without saying another word, Nick left the office. He heard Hancock yelling his name, but he was so lost in his own head he barely registered that the other man was speaking to him.

He had to get home to her, tell her that he was head over heels for her. Slips of “I love you” weren’t cutting it. It was deeper than that. He couldn’t shake the image of her auburn hair and blue-green eyes shining in the sun, or how when she slept she had a small nasally snore. He strolled through Boston, scenes of them together running like a film reel through his mind’s eye. Like the time she was half drunk and half awake, spinning in circles in his office until she vomited down her dress and laughed it off, or how she would look over her shoulder and smile at him as she ran into Sanctuary every time they went home.

He ran a hand down his face. The realization had hit him hard. You’re in love with her. He saw the walls of Diamond City in the distance and took off in a sprint. He needed her. Her vanilla and hubflower scent, the silky strands of hair between his fingers, the soft curves of her against the hard planes of him. He did not want to have her physically. He wanted her loud laughter and her hardly audible sobs when she woke from a nightmare. He wanted her grief and her happiness.

“Nick.” Piper’s voice broke his train of thought. He looked up and saw her coming up the ramp to the city towards him. Her face was sullen.

“What is it, Pipes?” He asked.

“It’s….it...It’s Liz, Nick.” Her voice faltering as she looked away.

“What happened, Piper?” His voice was dangerously low.

“We think one of the bad cuts on her is infected, and making her sick. Doctor Sun is over there helping Ellie keep her fever down and keeping her doped up.” She looked up at him again. A sad smile crossed her lips. “Whenever she wakes up, she only asks for you.”

Nick didn’t respond as he ran through the city, a sense of deja vu settling over him. He turned down the alleyway and busted into the door of the office.

“Nick!” Ellie exclaimed quietly. She held a finger to her lips, signalling for him to be quiet. “She’s sleeping. Doctor Sun says she’ll survive. He just left.”

Nick nodded to her and walked around the stairs that divided the room.  Liz’s face was flushed, but she was shivering and covered in a sheen of sweat. He dropped to his knees beside the bed and took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. The spindly fingers of his exposed hand came up to her face, and brushed the hair that was stuck to her cheek away.

Ellie came over and he stood. He shrugged out of the battered camel trench he wore, and handed it to her. She nodded at him with a small smile.

“She’ll be okay, Nick.”

He just nodded to his secretary as he took off the beat up fedora atop his head. Ellie took that as a sign to leave the room. She figured she’d go inform Piper of the update on Liz and let Nick be alone.

As he heard the door click shut, he deftly undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled off his belt. His pants sagged on his hips a moment until he stripped them off. He didn’t usually lay with her naked, but he needed this closeness. He needed to know she was alive.

He gently scooted her closer to the wall and climbed in beside her, enveloping her in his arms. A soft groan came from her as she resituated herself against him.

A groggy, hoarse “Nick?” so quiet he barely hear it.

“I’m here, sweetheart. I got you.”

“I’m so cold.” She whimpered.

“Shh, darlin’. I know.” He rubbed his fleshy hand up and down her arm, trying to ease the chill he couldn’t feel because her skin was so hot. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Sleep, Liz. It’ll help.”

She rolled over, looked at him through half lidded eyes and smiled. She nuzzled into his chest as he wrapped both arms around her, his skeletal hand tracing tiny circles into her back. He started humming in her ear, luring her back to sleep.

“Heh, you’re naked.” she sleepily mumbled.

“Go to sleep, doll.”

“Where did you go?”

“To talk to Hancock.” He muttered. She made an irritated sound.

“He told you, didn’t he?”

“I… I made him tell me, to be honest. I’m sorry, Lizzy. I needed to know. I need to know why you ran off and left me hangin’.” He kissed her forehead as a sign of apology.

“I just wanted you to be happy, Nick.” Her voice hitched and he felt her body shake beside him, but it wasn’t the tiny shivers she had had since he got in bed with her. He reached over and lifted her chin to have her look at him.

“I will only be happy if you’re alive, well, and in my arms. I’m..” He hesitated, seeing the tears on her cheeks. He wiped them away tenderly, and continued. “I love you so goddamn much. I need you, Liz.” Her tears streaked her cheeks as she gave him a sleepy smile. Her fever had left her in a half awake haze every time she was conscious. He kissed the salty droplets from her cheeks. “Don’t leave me again, please.” His voice was barely a whisper, his glowing eyes vunerable.

“I’m so sorry, Nicky. I just wanted to come home, and tell you that Eddie was ours. At least one of us could get closure. Fuck, I’m so sorry.” She sobbed harder the longer she talked. He pulled her closer, squeezing her as close to him as possible.

“Lizzy, honey, calm down. It’s ok. You’re home now. I’ve got you. Thank you.” He kissed her lips chastely. She sighed and rested her head on his chest again. Her fever was dragging her back under again after her emotions had got the better of her. Nick looked down and saw her fighting the sleep that was coming on. He stroked his metal hand through her hair, gently massaging her scalp as he did.

“Go back to sleep, love. I’ll be here, and we can talk when you wake up.” She gave a little nod and he felt her body sag against him. He’d let her sleep, let her give him the tapes. He was done snooping for the day. He hated arguing with two of the most valuable people in his life. He rolled more on his side, engulfing her with his body. He peppered her face with kisses as she slept. He wasn’t sure how she’d take the whole Jennifer thing, but he figured that would be a bridge they could cross together when they got there.

The hours blurred together. Ellie came back, in the blue hours of the morning, and saw them wrapped in each other. She noticed Nick’s clothes on the floor and rolled her eyes, picking them up and folding them. As she laid them on the dresser, she noticed something she had never seen before. Nick’s eyes were closed, his mechanics almost silent. She mouthed a “No way” as she realized that Nick was actually asleep, or as much as a gen 2.5 synth could be. She smiled to herself and left again.

 


End file.
